Tag: religion

Virginia Imam: ‘World a Better Place’ Without Charlie Kirk Who ‘Died Disrespecting Black People’

The world is “a better place” without Charlie Kirk, according to Virginia Imam Ismail Saleem, who accused the recently slain conservative activist of having died “disrespecting black people” and thus unworthy of sympathy, as he declared that the Turning Point USA founder is “getting what he deserves” and the grief of his supporters “makes me smile.”

In a Friday sermon in Norfolk, Virginia, Islamic preacher Ismail Saleem spoke to the congregation, slamming both Kirk and those expressing sympathy over his death, accusing mourners of misplaced morality.

“You see, the problem today is with empathy. And the problem that we see currently in these last couple of days is the empathy is for the family and friends of the racist person [Charlie Kirk],” he stated. “Does anybody hope that this man’s children grow up to be like him or continue his legacy and his work?”

“Some people empathize because they are not good people themselves,” he added.

In the clip, published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which specializes in monitoring sermons and media in Arabic and Islamic communities, Saleem’s comments escalate further.

“He died disrespecting black people, so I don’t care about him at all,” Saleem said. “The world is a better place without him.” 

Saleem, who showed no remorse for his stance, doubled down on his reaction to Kirk’s death.

“He gets what he deserves — he’s getting what he deserves — right now,” he continued. “And it makes me smile. Their tears make me smile. Their anger makes me smile.”

The Norfolk mosque leader also attacked the notion of empathy toward Kirk’s family and friends, stating that many people are ignoring what he claims are far greater tragedies.

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“It’s A Sign Of Oppression!” – Austria Plans Headscarf Ban For Girls Under-14 In Schools

The Austrian government will move ahead this week with plans to ban headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, a measure officials frame as promoting equality.

In an interview with Bild cited by Welt, Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) said, “I want girls, regardless of their religion, to have the same opportunities in our free and Western society. And that’s why I see the headscarf for girls under 14 as a sign of oppression.”

The proposed law sets out a staged response to violations: first, a conversation with the girl concerned, then with her parents, followed by possible involvement of youth welfare authorities. Repeated breaches could result in administrative penalties. Plakolm stressed that the measure would apply only in schools and educational institutions, not in public spaces.

“Public space is rightly a very well-protected area, and that’s something that probably wouldn’t stand up in a constitutional court,” she said.

The minister also linked the proposal to broader changes in Austria’s migration and integration policy.

She said the government plans a “three-year integration phase” for asylum seekers and migrants, during which they will receive only an integration allowance rather than full social benefits.

“There will be no social assistance during this integration phase, but only an integration allowance, and the amount will depend on how willing people are to fulfill their integration obligations,” Plakolm explained.

The move follows an announcement made by Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) in June for newly arriving children and teenagers to undergo a one-semester integration course prior to starting school.

Under the new system, children will first attend a semester-long orientation class where they will acquire basic German language skills to facilitate communication, fundamental school skills, such as writing, using scissors, and following classroom etiquette, and social values, including respect, equality, and tolerance.

The opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) insisted the move manages the symptoms and fails to address the root cause of mass immigration.

A previous headscarf ban in elementary schools, introduced in 2019 by a coalition of conservatives and the Freedom Party, was struck down by Austria’s Constitutional Court. Plakolm argued that the new version comes with accompanying measures aimed at helping young women live self-determined lives. She emphasized that “the new law is not a measure against Islam.”

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Democrat judge in America’s ‘Muslim capital’ BANS gay pride flags after Islamic outrage

A federal judge has upheld a ban on gay pride flags after a years-long battle by an all-Muslim city council to remove the rainbow because it did not reflect their community’s values.

The court found that Hamtramck, an enclave surrounded by Detroit with a significant Muslim immigrant population, did not violate the US Constitution when it banned the flag from public buildings in 2023.

After a pride flag was flown in the city during Pride Month in 2021 and 2022, the city council said it clashed with the beliefs of some residents, so they voted to allow only five flags to be flown on publicly-owned property. 

US District Judge David Lawson, who was appointed by Bill Clinton, dismissed a lawsuit that was brought against the city for its flag restrictions, saying the ban was okay because the policy targeted all private flags. 

‘Hamtramck’s refusal to display the Gay Pride flag did not violate the Constitution,’ the judge said. 

Hamtramck has a population of around 27,000, and more than 40% of its residents are immigrants. A large proportion of them are Muslim with Yemeni or Bangladeshi descent. 

The city is right next to Dearborn, a larger enclave city in the Detroit area that the Wall Street Journal once called ‘America’s Jihad Capital’ in a piece that claimed the city’s leadership supported Hamas and Hezbollah. The publication was widely criticized for the moniker. 

The Hamtramck flag ban restricted public property to only display the American flag, Michigan flag, city flag and flags that represent the ‘international character’ of the city’s population. 

Businesses and residents are still allowed to fly whatever they want on private property. 

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Relative Spills on Lance Twiggs’ Relationship with Charlie Kirk Assassin: ‘Full of Evil and Hatred,’ Feared He Might Hurt Someone, Raged Against Christians and Conservatives

A relative of Lance Twiggs has confirmed he is in a romantic relationship with Tyler Robinson, and that he “harboured animosity” for conservatives and Christians.

Robinson is the 22-year-old accused of assassinating conservative icon Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

It has been reported by multiple outlets that Robinson, who grew up in a conservative Utah family, lived with a transgender partner named Lance Twiggs at the time of the shooting.

The relative, who asked to remain anonymous, told Wisconsin Right Now that Twiggs is “full of evil and hatred.”

WRN reports:

The shaken relative, who almost broke down into tears at one point during the interview, asked not to be named. WRN tracked down the family member through datamining sites that showed the familial linkage to Twiggs.

The relative alleged that Lance Twiggs is “not mentally well at all.” Asked whether Lance was transgender and transitioning, the family member alleged, “This is true. I can’t be sure of when it started. I have suspicions it would have been about four years.”

The family member alleged to WRN that Robinson was Lance Twiggs’ boyfriend. “I knew he had a boyfriend. I never met him. None of us had.” The relative was not sure how long they were together.

Asked how the relative knew Robinson was allegedly Lance Twiggs’ boyfriend, the relative responded: “Lance disclosed that. Not to me directly. He wanted to have lunch with other family members to introduce his boyfriend.”

“I know the reason I had nothing to do with him is he (Lance Twiggs) is full of evil and hatred,” the family member alleged about Lance Twiggs. “While this is extremely shocking, I was afraid he might hurt someone,” they said, claiming this belief was based on “things he would say to family members.”

The relative would not elaborate on what caused that belief.

They explained that they had not seen Twiggs in at least four years and had not met Robinson.

“I did not want him around my personal family. He’s not a healthy person. He is very angry with anyone who is supportive of conservative ideals and Christian values,” the relative explained.

They added that the family is devastated, especially because they liked Kirk.

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German farmer investigated over gift from Russia

A farmer is facing criminal prosecution in Germany over receiving a small Easter gift from a Russian friend. The man is now accused of violating sanctions and could face up to five years behind bars.

A public prosecutor’s office in the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania confirmed on Friday that a criminal case had indeed been opened against a local man on suspicion of violating the restrictions.

The case dates back several months, to when a German customs office intercepted a small package which was sent to the farmer from Russia. According to the broadcaster NDR, the package contained a piece of soap, a wooden figurine, and a CD – worth less than €27 ($32) in total. All of the items were on the sanctions list, the report said, adding that the customs office had confiscated the package and a probe was opened into it.

The farmer, who has been identified as Rudolf Denissen by NDR, could face between three months and five years of imprisonment if found guilty. The prosecutor’s office also requested an official written statement from him, as well as “complete personal details and information on net monthly income.”

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US Condemns Prosecution of Finnish Lawmaker Over Bible Verse Tweet

Finland’s prosecution of Päivi Räsänen has drawn sharp condemnation from the US State Department, which labeled the charges “baseless” and included a Bible verse in a rare public gesture of support.

This comes as Finland’s Supreme Court prepares to hear a case widely regarded as a test of whether expressing religious beliefs can be treated as a criminal act in a democratic nation.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor made its position clear on X, stating: “In a democracy, no one should face trial for peacefully sharing their beliefs. The case against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen, which accuses her of hate speech for simply posting a Bible verse, is baseless, as two courts have unanimously found.”

The post included a verse from Matthew 5:11: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”

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Longtime head of Mexican megachurch is indicted in New York on federal sex trafficking charges

The longtime head of a Mexican megachurch who is serving more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing young followers has been charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking for allegedly victimizing members of the church for decades, authorities said Wednesday.

A federal grand jury in New York returned the indictment alleging that Naasón Joaquín García, 56, and five others exploited the church for decades to enable the systemic sexual abuse of children and women for the sexual gratification of García and his father, who died in 2014.

The newly unsealed indictment said the criminal activity included the creation of photos and videos of child sexual abuse.

García was taken into federal custody early Wednesday in Chino, California, where he is serving a more than 16-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2022 to two state counts

His lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

García is the head of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World), which claims to have 5 million followers worldwide. Believers consider him to be the “apostle” of Jesus Christ.

Prosecutors in California have said that he used his spiritual sway to have sex with girls and young women who were told it would lead to their salvation – or damnation if they refused.

Besides García, one defendant charged in the case was taken into custody in Los Angeles while another was arrested in Chicago, authorities said. Three others were at large.

According to the indictment, two of the defendants and others tried to destroy evidence and prevent victims of the sexual abuse from speaking to law enforcement after García was arrested.

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Critical Update: Evangelical Leaders Raided and Jailed in South Korea Like in Mao’s China

South Korea Escalates Crackdown on Evangelical Leaders: From Billy Kim to Son Hyun-bo

SEOUL — South Korea’s Christian community is reeling from a rapid series of unprecedented state actions that many describe as a coordinated campaign of religious persecution. After prosecutors raided the home and ministry of Reverend Billy Kim — globally known as Billy Graham’s interpreter and longtime evangelical partner — a special prosecutor issued a summons for him. Only days later, authorities jailed Reverend Son Hyun-bo, senior pastor of Busan’s Saegero Church, on charges stemming from pastoral speech and online posts.

These moves come despite repeated warnings from President Donald Trump and his close allies, who have publicly voiced concern over mounting attacks on religious freedom in South Korea. Observers warn that the Lee Jae-myung government’s actions resemble authoritarian tactics designed to silence pro-American and conservative Christian voices.

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Texas attorney general wants students to pray in school – unless they’re Muslim

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general running for US Senate, has long believed in school prayer. Now, he’s prescribing precisely what type of prayer he wants the state’s 6 million public school students to recite.

“In Texas classrooms, we want the Word of God opened, the Ten Commandments displayed, and prayers lifted up,” Paxton said in a statement on Tuesday, encouraging students to say “the Lord’s Prayer, as taught by Jesus Christ”.

The press release included the full text of the Lord’s Prayer as it is written in the King James version of the Bible, the latest example of Paxton and other Texas officials seeming to endorse Christianity over other faiths.

“Twisted, radical liberals want to erase Truth, dismantle the solid foundation that America’s success and strength were built upon, and erode the moral fabric of our society,” Paxton said. “Our nation was founded on the rock of Biblical Truth, and I will not stand by while the far-left attempts to push our country into the sinking sand.”

Paxton’s statement was released as Senate Bill 11 went into effect across Texas; it’s a piece of Republican legislation allowing schools to set aside time for “prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious texts” during the school day. Critics have condemned the bill as an attempt to imbue a secular public education in the state with the practice of Christianity, in violation of the US constitution’s separation of church and state.

“They’re blowing right through separation of church and state,” said Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

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Texas Woman Sentenced for ‘Devastating and Dangerous’ Arson Attack on Washington Church

A 38-year-old woman from Temple, Texas, was sentenced Thursday for setting a Washington state church on fire in 2023.

Natasha Marie O’Dell will spend the next six years in prison after her sentencing on three felonies, Fox 7 reported on Saturday.

In a press release on Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said O’Dell committed arson in targeting the Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church (SLLC) in Snohomish County on August 25, 2023.

She was visiting relatives in Woodinville at the time, and officials later linked her to the crime through cell phone records, credit card records, and surveillance video.

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